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Legal Memorandum: Administration of Antipsychotic Drugs

Issue: Under Wisconsin law, what is the level of judicial scrutiny of applicable to a state addressing involuntary administration of antipsychotic drugs on review from an allegation that it violates a person’s civil rights?

Area of Law: Constitutional Law, Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Law Compliance, Litigation & Procedure
Keywords: Judicial scrutiny; Administration of antipsychotic drug; Civil rights
Jurisdiction: Federal, Wisconsin
Cited Cases: 504 U.S. 127; 247 Wis. 2d 613; 227 Wis. 2d 389; 255 Wis. 2d 359; 634 N.W.2d 871; 759 P.2d 358; 290 Wis. 2d 202; 494 U.S. 210; 780 N.W.2d 63; 482 U.S. 342; 323 Wis. 2d 321; 110 Wn. 2d 873; 712 N.W.2d 61; 597 N.W.2d 697; 197 Wis. 2d 279; 541 N.W.2d 115; 647 N.W.2d 851; 445 U.S. 480; 482 U.S. 78
Cited Statutes: Wisconsin Statute § 51.20(1)(ar)
Date: 07/01/2015

The appropriate level of constitutional scrutiny is not clear in a case involving the civil commitment of a prisoner?  However, the level does not appear to be strict scrutiny in the case of a prisoner.  A prisoner has a significant liberty interest in avoiding the unwanted administration of antipsychotic drugs under the Due Process Clause.  Washington v. Harper, 494 U.S. 210, 221-222, 110 S. Ct. 1028, 1036-1037, 108 L. Ed. 2d 178, 198 (1990) TA l "Washington v. Harper, 494 U.S. 210, 110 S. Ct. 1028, 108 L. Ed. 2d 178 (1990)" s "Washington v. Harper, 494 U.S. 210, 221-222, 110 S. Ct. 1028, 1036-1037, 108 L. Ed. 2d 178, 198 (1990)" c 1  (citing Vitek v. Jones, 445 U.S. 480, 491-494, 100 S. Ct. 1254, 1262-1264, 63 L. Ed. 2d 552, 563-565 (1980)).  With respect to the involuntary administration of antipsychotic medication, the United States Supreme Court specifically declined to adopt a standard of strict scrutiny.  Riggins v. Nevada, 504 U.S. 127, 136, 112 S. Ct. 1810, 1815-1816, 118 L. Ed. 2d 479, 490 (1992) TA l "Riggins v. Nevada, 504 U.S. 127, 112 S. Ct. 1810, 118 L. Ed. 2d 479 (1992)" s "Riggins v. Nevada, 504 U.S. 127, 136, 112 S. Ct. 1810, 1815-1816, 118 L. Ed. 2d 479, 490 (1992)" c 1 .  This Court does not appear to have established a judicial scrutiny standard for a prisoner’s challenge to the involuntary administration of antipsychotic medication.*

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